Weary Rory Out of Thai Event

Rory McIlroy has admitted his hectic recent schedule caught up with him at the Dubai World Championship over the weekend.

The US Open champion headed into the European Tour's season-ending event knowing he had to emerge victorious to deny Luke Donald the Race to Dubai money-list title.

Although he started in encouraging fashion with a 66, McIlroy faded as the week progressed and eventually finished in 11th place.

The 22-year-old acknowledged before the event began that he was suffering from a virus and has been informed he could have contracted Dengue fever.

As a result, McIlroy has pulled out of this week's Thailand Golf Championship and will now put his clubs away and rest up before getting his 2012 season underway in Abu Dhabi at the end of January.

Hectic schedule

"I think this week was one too many," he said, referring to a recent schedule that has seen him play eight tournaments in the last ten weeks, making three separate trips to Asia and one to Bermuda.

"Luke deserves it. Basically every time he's teed it up he's had a chance or he's finished in the top five or top 10. Mentally you have to be so good just to keep grinding out the scores when you need to.

"But I've made great progress this year - with my game, with my results, with everything. I feel like I'm swinging the club as good as I ever have and I feel like my body is as strong as it's ever been.

"I've won my first major and my goals are just to win tournaments and try to become a multiple-major champion."